Feed-regulator for hoppers.



No. 748,059. PATENTED DEC. 29, 1903.-

A. T. FERRELL.

FEED REGULATOR FOR HOPPERS. APPLIOATIOR nnnn DBO. a, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES: W INVENTOR S S S WATTORNEY.

NITED STATES Patented December 29, 1903.

ALBERT T. FERRELL, OF SAGIlfTAW, MICHIGAN.

FEED-REGULATOR FOR HOPPERS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 748,059, dated December29, 1903.

Application filed December 9, 1902. Serial No. 134.569. (No model.)

citizen of the United States, residing at Sagi naw, in the county ofSaginaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and use fulImprovements in Feed Regulators for Hoppers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainstomake and use the same.

This invention is a feed-regulator for hoppers. It is especially adaptedfor use on hoppers of grain and bean cleaners and like machines having avibratory or shaking bottom to agitate its contents.

It comprises a sliding gate adjustable to regulate the feed-opening andprovided with means for yielding'ly supporting it in its adjustedpositions.

The mechanism is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which iFigure 1 is aperspective view of a hopper with my device attached. Fig.2 is a front elevation in detail of one of the pinions and one of theracks engaging with it which is yieldingly secured to the gate of thehopper. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2, andFig. 4 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 2.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The construction and operation of the device areas follows:.

A hopper 1, having asliding gate 2, supported and guided on one of itssides, is provided with racks3,yieldinglysecuredtothegate,and pinions t,engaging therewith, fixed on the rod 4*, which turns in'bearings 4,secured to the hopper and provided with hand-Wheels 4 or other means forits rotation. These racks are not rigidly fixed to the gate, but areslidably secured to it by guides 5, fixed to the gate by screws orotherwise, having flanges 5*, which project over flanges 3 on the basesof the racks. The gate is thus allowed some movement upward from theposition given by the racks; but downward movement is prevented by stops3 on the bases of the racks, which strike the lower ends of the guides5. The upward movementis resisted by compressible coiled springs 6. Theracks are provided with upwardly-extending members 3*, having lugs 3projecting over the gate, and the springs are held between the lugs andthe top of the gate by pins 6 passing through holes 3 in the lugs andcarried by the gate.

By this device the gate can be placed in any desired position. The stops3 prevent downward movement from this position; but the yielding of thesprings permits it to rise slightly when necessary.- Thus if a beanpasses on end under the gate the springs will yield and allow the gateto rise slightly, so that the bean may pass through without breaking.Small stones and other obstacles which might choke the opening arepassed through in the same way, and a regular even flow from the hopperis thus insured.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. An adjusting member for sliding gates of hoppers and the like,comprising a revoluble pinion; a longitudinally-movable rack engagingthe pinion; a gate slidably mounted on said rack and a spring memberinter osed between the rack and gate and adapted to yieldingly hold thegate in its lowest position on said rack. A

2. A feed-regulator for hoppers comprising in combination a slidinggate;a pair of guides carried by the gate; a vertically-movable rack slidablymounted on each guide; a pair of pinions for operating said rackssimultaneously; a compressible spring interposed between the end of eachrack and the-gate; to gether with stops to limit the downward m ovementof the gate.

3. A feed-regulator for hoppers com prising a sliding gate; a pair offlanged guides carried by the gate; a pair of vertically-movable rackshaving flanges slidably engaging each of the flanged guides; a pair ofpinions for simultaneously operating the racks; a pair of compressiblesprings interposed between the ends of said racks and the gate; togetherwith stops fixed to the lower ends of said racks to limit the downwardmovement of the gate, for the purposes set forth.

4:. A feed-regulator for hoppers comprising a sliding gate; avertically-movable rack at each end of said gate; lateral flanges on thebases of said racks; a pair of flanged guides overlapping the flanges onthe rack; stops on the lower end of the racks to limit the downin thelug; together with pinions engaging ward movement of said gate; annpwardlythe racks for the purposes set forth. [0 extending member oneach rack; a lng on i In testimony whereof I affix my signature each ofsaid members projecting over the top in presence of two witnesses.

of the gate; a hole in each lug; a coiled com- ALBERT T. FERRELL.pressible spring between the top of the gate Witnesses: and each lug;and a spring guidingrpin car- MARK D. GEER,

ried by the gate and passing through the hole F. M. MARKS.

